


Staying Up Late

by orcsmoocher



Category: The Elementalists (Visual Novel)
Genre: Bathing/Washing, Comfort, Cuddling & Snuggling, Cute, M/M, Romantic Fluff, Sleepy Cuddles, Sleepy Kisses
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-11
Updated: 2020-08-11
Packaged: 2021-03-06 01:15:06
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,818
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25834840
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orcsmoocher/pseuds/orcsmoocher
Summary: Beckett Harrington is stressing out about midterms. Luckily, he has a certain Sun-Att to come and bother him. This takes place between books 1 and 2 if it isn't clear.
Relationships: Beckett Harrington/Main Character (The Elementalists), Beckett Harrington/Original Character(s)
Comments: 2
Kudos: 8





	Staying Up Late

The first thing that Elysian heard when he knocked on the familiar dorm room door was a feeble "One moment," and the shuffling of papers. He stepped back slightly, giving the resident some time to react. The students on this floor seemed quieter, and that was shown in everything - down to the lack of posters on the walls and names pasted on the doors. On Elysian's floor, everyone got a little tag to decorate and write their names on, and an open-door policy was encouraged by their resident assistant in order to foster companionship between the students on that floor. Elysian had covered his and Shreya's room with paper, and they had spent many hours painting it, as did some other students. The first floor of Penderghast's residences, however, was notably devoid of any of that. It was quiet and subdued, almost lonely-feeling at times. They probably didn't get noise complaints every night, though, so there was that. Moonlight leaked in through the window at the end of the hall, the sky a pitch-black and dotted with stars and distant streaks of purple stardust. It played across the carpeted floor beautifully, as every second sconce was snuffed of its flame at night, darkening the hall just enough to let the moonlight take center stage. It let one greatly appreciate how beautiful the night sky was in Penderghast's wards, untouched by modern light pollution.

The door opened, the dark wood barrier silently melting away into a faint blue shimmer. Beckett Harrington stood in the threshold, staring at Elysian with tired, slightly confused eyes. "Yes?" He asked, stepping aside to let the Sun-Att inside. "It's late." Elysian nodded with a smile, sweeping into the room. 

Beckett had gotten lucky - or he had counted the exact seconds to get the perfect time to apply for residency. He had gotten one of Penderghast's few, and well-sought-after single dorms - well, one of the ones that weren't reserved for students with disabilities, anyway. It was the same size as the other dorms, but in order to encourage students to cough up the extra dough, it had  _ much _ nicer furniture and more room for an individual to put their own spin on it. Rolled-up yoga mats and even some sets of exercise poles were set up in the far left corner of the room, and Beckett had made a veritable study nest in the opposite corner, a dark mahogany desk as comfortable as it was vast concealed and veiled by thin blankets that hung from floating lights that hovered near the ceiling. It kept him focused and physically closed off from any distractions - plus, it just looked pretty. 

The beauty of his room was marred slightly by the fact that  _ every _ solid surface was scattered with open books and piles of notes, something that Elysian noticed immediately as something very odd. Usually, Beckett was more organized than this. "You're up late, too," Elysian noted plainly, sweeping his gaze over the messy state of his friend's room. Amongst a pile of open history texts on the coffee table in front of the fireplace was a steaming mug of tea and a couple pens. His natural studies books were stacked on the desk inside of the nest, and alchemy manuals were arranged on a shelf beside a free-standing cauldron tucked into the opposite corner. Beckett had a strange habit of separating the subjects he studied into different sections of the room, physically moving from spot to spot as he jumped topics. It was probably no stranger than the oddly specific sounds that Elysian pumped into his ears through his headphones when he studied, though. "It's midterm stress time, isn't it?" 

Beckett sighed heavily, a rough sound that cut right through the night time silence. Elysian swiveled his head to face him again, eyes clouding in sympathy; noting his ruffled hair, sallow skin, and wrinkled clothing - despite it being nearly two in the morning, he hadn't even changed into his pyjamas yet. Beckett answered, his gaze surprisingly tender. "I just need to catch up, that's all." His lips parted as if he was going to say more, but he didn't. 

"You know, they say that a little studying and good sleep works wonders compared to too much studying and no sleep at all," Elysian scolded. "You work too hard. I don't want to see you in your third year drowning in stress because you burnt yourself out." 

Beckett frowned. "I'm not going to burn out," he replied, brow furrowed. "I have better discipline than that." 

Elysian planted his hands on his hips. "When was your last meal? I didn't see you at dinner today."

Sheepishly, Beckett rubbed the back of his neck as he studiously avoided Elysian's gaze. The brief respite from his work brought on by his friend's visit was making him realize just how tired he was, feeling distant stings of hunger on top of his leaden eyelids and weak muscles that screamed for sleep after being trapped in a sitting position all day and night. "I had some food earlier, I just…" 

"Did you take a rest at all?"

"No, I suppose not…" 

Elysian huffed, stepping forward. With one hand he tenderly swept a stubborn lock of hair away from Beckett's forehead, and interlaced their fingers together with the other. He stood up on his tip-toes to bring himself up to Beckett's eye-level. "Let me give you a break, Harrington." he whispered. Beckett finally nodded, conceding. His eyes were curious as he watched what Elysian might do - deferring that decision to him, of course. He had his own ideas of what could possibly make him feel better, but they probably weren't what Elysian had in mind. 

Lips bowed into a sly smile, Elysian stepped away, shrugging his cloth pack off his back and cradling it in his arms. "I thought you might have ended up skipping meals again," he said, undoing the bag's zipper and pulling out a little red wooden box in one fluid motion. "So I made you something." The box was made of carved cherry-wood, a gift given to him by his foster parents, who were first given the container by his late father. It was a cheery little lunch box with the images of flowers engraved in its lid, one of the only physical objects of his that Elysian could tie to his biological parents; so naturally, it became one of his most prized possessions. Recently, he had begun to trust Beckett with such an item, who treated it with an almost cautious amount of love and care - as if he was afraid that he would break it and lose his friend's trust forever. 

"Thank you," Beckett replied, a smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. They had long passed the need for platitudes like 'you didn't need to,' Beckett learning over time that Elysian's acts of kindness were both numerous and unavoidable. Additionally, the Sun-Att's cooking was a tough thing to resist. He accepted the offered lunchbox, cracking open its lid. What met him was a pleasant assortment of snacks: a cheery pile of pickled vegetable rolls, each wrapped in a fluffy layer of rice and deep green seaweed; a few round, walnut-shaped pastries; and golden-brown fried pork dumplings; all tied together with a little pair of chopsticks wrapped in a white cloth napkin tucked into the underside of the lid. Elysian loved his (Tuneless) Korean food. As a result, Beckett had an insatiable sweet-tooth for the desserts often brought to him, and the savoury dishes were nothing to scoff at either. As much as he hated to admit it, it made him a little disappointed that there was no other place to get it anywhere in Penderghast - or Penn Square, for that matter. He, however, outright refused to admit that he was a smidge more than addicted to the little finger foods that were brought to him every now and then. Elysian knew that already, anyway.

Beckett sat down on one of the sofas that surrounded the large circular coffee table in a ring. He took the chopsticks, holding them with a practiced poise that he  _ didn't _ have to research beforehand to avoid embarrassment - at least, that's what he had hoped. Elysian giggled, leaning in to rearrange his fingers. Beckett's cheeks were dusted in a dainty pink as he sheepishly picked up one of the dumplings and took a bite. His belly rumbled, as if to cry out  _ 'finally!' _ and he smiled - oftentimes, one doesn't realize how much they needed something before it was already in their hands… and right now, food definitely fit that bill.

"Feeling better?" Elysian asked, his eyes practically glowing with adoration as he perched his chin in his hands. 

Beckett nodded, popping the rest of the still-warm dumpling into his mouth. These clearly weren't leftovers like he expected, but something made specifically for this visit. The company was pleasant, too - he felt his worries physically melt away, tension releasing from his shoulders as he relaxed little by little. "With everything that's going on, I've mostly been worrying about you," He remarked, expression soft. "Are you okay?" 

Elysian tilted his head in thought. "Yeah… I guess so." 

"You don't sound very confident." 

Elysian shook his head with a chuckle. " _ I'm _ supposed to be comforting  _ you _ ," he replied. 

"Your health is just as important to me as my own, Elysian," Beckett mumbled, his cheeks darkening a shade. He held his gaze steady, though, not looking away for a single moment as he spoke.

“I feel the same way…” Elysian leaned forward with an unsaid question on his lips, angling his head in a movement so slight it was nearly imperceptible, but Beckett took notice aptly. He returned the gesture until their lips met, capturing Elysian in a kiss that was long and sweet, an embrace of a couple desiring to savor the tenderness of the moment rather than give in to passion, but with a heat that still left them both wanting more. Beckett emptied his hands and sent them wandering, up and down Elysian's back, tracing the gentle slopes and curves of his skinny body. One hand settled on the back of Elysian's neck, playing with the short hair that grew there and occasionally traveling upwards to thread through his snow-white locks. Elysian pulled away with a small, breathless sigh. "You taste good," he breathed with a brief laugh before he flicked his tongue across the corner of Beckett's mouth to swipe up a tiny spot of pork filling left on his lips.

"Compliments to the chef," Beckett replied, prompting his friend to grin almost smugly. Holding Elysian's gaze, he picked up one of the vegetable rolls and held it in front of his face. Elysian opened his mouth obediently.

Giggling through a full mouth, Elysian returned the gesture with a morsel of his own, which Beckett snapped up as quickly as it appeared. "Promise me you won't skip any more meals to study?" Elysian asked, pulling the dumpling pinched in his fingers away before it could be eaten. 

" _ Yes _ , mother," Beckett replied. He chuckled wryly. "I promise."

"Good." Elysian popped the dumpling into Beckett's mouth, watching him chew and swallow with a tangible adoration that made even Beckett's studious little heart swell. Just seeing the sickly sweet amount of love in his eyes was enough to make him blush - not even counting the many creative ways that Elysian found to embarrass him. He was smitten with Elysian, sure, but when he considered it, he often wondered  _ why _ Elysian felt the same way… a thought that perished when he felt thin fingers curl around the curve of his thigh and squeeze gently. Elysian leaned in and stole a kiss as Beckett's mind raced, eventually clearing it all until there was nothing left. Beckett sighed against his lips, the corners of his mouth ticking up into a smile. 

As he pulled back to take a breath, he dipped his chin down; staring up at his friend beneath his dark lashes in a way that made Elysian's heart flutter - Beckett was as  _ pretty _ as he was handsome; with an almost gentle set of eyes fringed with a curtain of long lashes set into his lightly freckled, soft skin and dazzling smile framed with full lips. It was a pleasing contrast to his otherwise strong features everywhere else. 

Eventually, Beckett skimmed his chopsticks into the box and found it empty. "Ah," He licked his lips. "I should let you go to bed now, Elysian…" Without consciously checking, he felt the day's filth settling on him like cling film, wet under the arms with sweat. He cringed. "I have to take a bath - I must look like a mess."

Elysian gave him a coy smile. "I can't sleep… may I join you?"

Beckett's cheeks burned at the suggestion, crass thoughts suddenly racing through his head. He tried to stay confident in the face of his friend, forcing a cocky smile onto his face that he hoped looked less awkward than it felt. When he spoke, the words tumbled out of him like a bowl of spilled grain. "Join me? O-of course you may," he stammered, which made Elysian's expression stretch into a wide grin. Whether or not he was just that happy to be invited or internally laughing at Beckett was yet to be known… he forced a chuckle out regardless in an effort to release his nervousness. "It will… save water, of course." 

"Of course," Elysian replied with a snicker, gracefully moving along with the joke as he stood from the sofa and offered his hand, which Beckett took gratefully. He led Elysian to the bathroom, a simple white room with pleasant wood edging on the walls and a deep white porcelain bathtub, fed by several taps perfect for hot baths. He turned the main water tap on, beginning to fill the basin. On the way, he caught his appearance in the mirror over the sink and cringed bodily - his mussed hair, dark eye rings and pale skin looked almost sickly. It left much to be desired. Elysian caught that brief look and wrapped his arms around him, delicately resting his chin on his shoulder as his hands traveled to Beckett's front. "We need to take all of this off first…" he mumbled, fingers skimming over the buttons one-by-one, the movement sending cool currents of air streaming between them until they each popped open. Beckett shrugged off his blazer and peeled his shirt away while Elysian got to work on his own clothes. Beckett snuck a peek through the reflection on the mirror. 

Elysian shed his clothes layer by layer, letting it all fall to the floor with a slight flush on his cheeks. Beckett raked his eyes up and down his body, taking in a sight that he could never get enough of. Elysian stood almost a full head shorter than him, and was awfully skinny for an eighteen year-old - shortly after Beckett and Elysian had become close enough to notice things such as changes in weight, it became clear that Elysian's body mass sunk like a stone in a lake when under duress; made especially obvious by simply taking a single glance at his twin brother - though his legs, which were unusually long compared to his torso, were well-toned from running around in his Thief games and could kick like a particularly spirited horse. That coy grin returned to his face, his brown eyes sharp and glinting with something like mischief. "Your turn," he said, noticing the purposeful glances being thrown his way through the mirror. 

Beckett tore his eyes away from the mirror and fumbled for his belt. Another deep blush - how cute. Elysian giggled, his cheeks flush and eyes drinking in the sight greedily. Beckett was a very  _ long _ boy - in every respect he was tall, and surprisingly broad for his station. Naturally wide shoulders and a broad chest served to make his modestly-toned body look much stronger than it was - and Beckett was not physically weak in the slightest. While not especially muscular compared to someone like Griffin, Beckett was lithe and flexible with a somewhat top-heavy figure; not unlike a gymnast. "Hm," Elysian hummed appraisingly, skimming his fingers against the skin of Beckett's sides. "You're so handsome..." He sidled up to plant a kiss onto Beckett's cheek. "Have you forgotten about midterms yet?" 

"I'm not sure. I think I still have a few on the brain..." 

Laughing, Elysian obliged, leading his friend to the tub by gently backing him to the edge as their lips met. One at a time, they stepped inside carefully and sat down as Beckett shut the water off. Plumes of steam wafted off the surface of the water, filling the room with a sweet, rain-like smell and a stifling humidity that stuck to the skin. Beckett tipped his head back with a sigh, allowing himself to enjoy the moment. His eyes slid closed as Elysian sidled up to him, gliding effortlessly into his lap. The slight movements of the water echoed off of the bathroom walls in a steady, relaxing rhythm. Their lips met, and they wrapped themselves around each other like pythons; moving slowly yet steadily with an air of sleepiness that thankfully kept them from splashing water over the edge. Elysian couldn't help but let out a little moan against his lips, though he realized how late it was - they needed to get clean and sleep for class in the morning. "I love the sounds you make," Beckett murmured instead, interrupting his thoughts. His eyes were half-lidded and his voice had gone husky as he pulled away from a searing kiss that slowly woke them up. Elysian was keenly aware that Beckett's hands had traveled from his back down to his hips, with one wandering further until it cupped his ass, fingers sinking firmly into the flesh. "I want to make sure you keep making them." He bowed his lips into a grin made irresistible by the deep blush of his freckled cheeks.

Elysian was left breathing rather heavy, gripping Beckett's shoulders for support. He eyed the other taps - a set of three installed directly below a glass-doored compartment which held three large jugs of different colored fluid. "If we're doing this, we may as well do it right. What say you?" 

"Ah, I have the perfect oil in mind." Beckett replied, nodding confidently as if it was the correct answer to a question. His fingers wrapped around the gilded knob in the middle and turned, a crystal-clear red fluid flowing forth from it. It dyed the water a fiery, neon scarlet, a heady and spicy scent of cinnamon wafting heavily into the room. Elysian's nose tingled for a moment before he got used to the feeling. "Fireflower oil. I find it helps best to clear the skin."

"So why this one?"

Beckett flashed him a surprisingly sly grin as he leaned back and rested his elbow on the edge of the tub. "It has other uses… like as an ingredient in certain aphrodisiacs." Of  _ course _ he'd be smug about its uses in alchemy... 

"Cinnamon and passion - I like it." Elysian replied, tilting his head with a glint in his eyes. "So, are you going to kiss me or not?" 

"The day I say 'no' is the day I drop out of college," Beckett laughed a little at his own joke before pulling Elysian very close. "I'm warning you now - if we go much further, I won't be able to stop..." 

Elysian wiggled impatiently, the muscle of his ass flexing in Beckett's hand. "Good," He said simply. The spiced water around him made the skin it touched hot, almost tingly, the fumes heady. The sensation against his skin was strange, but not entirely unpleasant; compounded by the feeling of Beckett's hands running over his body. He wriggled again, sending new waves of the bathwater splashing against his sides. 

Their lips met, starting off slow but gradually speeding up until they were in a veritable frenzy; devouring each other like it was a contest. Elysian let out every little moan and groan that came to mind - some would say he made too much noise, but Beckett relished in the sound. When they finally pulled away to breathe, they were left panting like dogs, chests heaving and hands working. One of Beckett's found Elysian's and grabbed it, squeezing. The other wandered across the expanse of Elysian's body, toying with the curves (or rather, lack thereof) and gentle slopes of his warm, pale skin. 

Waves of the bathwater lapped against the sides of the tub in greater number, echoing in the small space. Elysian let out a strangled noise as he straddled Beckett's lap and rutted against him, grinding their hips together impatiently. Beckett opened his eyes after a heady kiss, searching the various shelves hung up on the bathroom walls for a specific bottle before a thought occurred to him. "Ah, h-hold on," he panted. Elysian stopped to listen, breathing hard. "I don't have any more lubricant..." 

"Oh," Elysian's face fell at such a comical speed that Beckett couldn't help but laugh, prompting his lover to giggle in turn. "You ruined my  _ entire _ night." Elysian scolded, shaking his head in a frustration that was only a ' _ mostly-joke _ '. 

"My apologies," Beckett replied, cheeks flushing a deep red as he scratched at the back of his head. "...It  _ is _ late."

Elysian laughed harder, waving Beckett’s embarrassed guilt away and leaned in to steal a quick kiss. "Very late." Without the constant movement, Elysian began to feel the exhaustion sink into his bones once more. He yawned. "You owe me, though."

The pair finished their bath and fell into bed, wet and undressed. Their alarms would go off in just a few hours - a realization of intense disappointment, because there was nothing more comfortable than the position that they had found themselves in. Elysian snuggled deeply into the covers, his head resting on Beckett's chest and arms wrapped snugly around his body, fingers idly stroking and playing with the skin that they fell upon. Beckett rubbed his hands up and down the Sun-Att's back comfortingly; a warm touch that steadied the breathing as it coaxed Elysian to sleep. They were both smothered in the feelings of warmth and softness, wrapped in the thick down-filled comforter and laying skin-to-skin after a fresh washing. "Elysian," Beckett murmured, his voice low and comfortable. Elysian tilted his chin up so that his big eyes were staring deeply into his, full of adoration. He responded with a small  _ hm? _ and snuggled in deeper. “Thank you for visiting me tonight.” 

“I’ll come tomorrow, too… I love you, Beckett.”

Smiling, Beckett wrapped his arms around his boyfriend tightly, stroking the Sun-Att’s soft, pale skin. “Naturally.”

Elysian scoffed playfully. “I take it back. You’re the worst.” They shared one last breathless giggle as they finally drifted off. 


End file.
